Hurricane Rated Door Testing

Peace of Mind Through Proven Durability

Hurricane-prone region require highly engineered and reliable exterior doors that can withstand the forces of nature. Your building’s location will determine which factors must be considered when selecting a commercial door. That includes your local building codes, what type of severe weather your door will be exposed to (strong winds, severe storms, hurricanes, or other extreme weather), and the type of protection your building requires.

Testing commercial doors for hurricane conditions helps ensure resilience against nature’s most formidable challenges. The key components central to hurricane door testing are outlined below, followed by a handy reference chart to help you compare each Special-Lite door model according to its approved use.

Impact Testing (Large and Small Missile Impact)

Impact testing simulates the powerful effects of wind-borne debris to assess a door’s ability to withstand strikes from objects that could be hurled at high speeds. Large missile tests involve launching a heavy projectile, a 9-pound wood 2×4, at a door to mimic substantial debris impact. Small missile testing, on the other hand, replicates the effects of rapid-fire, smaller projectiles like gravel. Success in these tests means a door can maintain its structural integrity.

Cyclic Wind Pressure Testing

The cyclic pressure test subjects a door to fluctuating pressure conditions that emulate the rise and fall of wind speeds during a hurricane. It gauges how well the door can endure and adapt to the relentless push and pull exerted by strong winds over an extended period. Thousands of positive and negative pressure cycles are applied, ensuring the door can maintain performance and prevent breaches during a storm.

Wind Load Testing

Wind load testing helps ensure doors are engineered to withstand extreme pressure differences created by high-velocity hurricane zone winds, ensuring durability and safety. Hurricane-force winds simulate how the door system performs under such stress. This ensures that commercial spaces, particularly in hurricane-prone areas like South Florida, can rely on reinforced door structures that meet the rigorous standards of the Florida Building Code (FBC).

Water Penetration Resistance

Water penetration resistance testing evaluates a hurricane rated door’s ability to keep water out of interior spaces when subjected to heavy rain and wind-driven water. This helps prevent water damage and flooding. 

Air Infiltration Testing

Air infiltration testing measures the air that passes through the door seams and joints when exposed to pressure differences. Minimizing air infiltration is important for commercial hurricane doors to maintain indoor air quality and energy efficiency, especially in regions like Boca Raton and West Palm Beach.

Forced Entry Resistance

Forced entry resistance testing ensures that commercial hurricane doors can withstand break-in attempts or unauthorized access, minimizing security threats and enhancing overall safety and peace of mind.

Observation and Evaluation

Observation and evaluation complete testing. Third-party experts meticulously examine the door, frame, and hardware assembly being tested to identify any deformations, cracks, or weaknesses, ensuring the complete opening system meets the high standards for hurricane door approval.

In addition, installation instructions that detail the complete opening assembly and anchoring methods are evaluated as part of the approval.

Choose Solutions Tailored to Your Facility  

Special-Lite offers a diverse range of impact-rated (windstorm-resistant and hurricane-rated) doors to suit your facility’s needs. Our doors have been rigorously tested using the key processes above to ensure compliance with the Florida Building Code (FBC) for those in an HVHZ, such as South Florida and Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) requirements. In addition to meeting those standards, Special-Lite Impact-Rated Doors are corrosion-resistant and incredibly customizable to fit your aesthetic needs without sacrificing durability or protection. The chart below can help you decide which of our door models is best for your project.

Additional Resources

• Our Configuration Worksheets can be found along with our Estimate and Order Forms.
• Check out our Case Study about how Special-Lite doors at a school in Texas stood up to the heavy traffic of students and Hurricane Harvey.
• Our Guide to Hurricane-Rated Doors explains in more detail the materials that make our commercial doors ideal for extreme weather. You can also download our Hurricane Zone Solutions Flyer.
• Miami-Dade County Building and Permits
• ASTM International
• National Hurricane Center and Central Pacific Hurricane Center

Our team is here if you have additional questions or are ready to move your project forward. Contact your local rep today!

Compare Special-Lite Door Models, Options, Approvals, and More

 * Design Pressure is the maximum amount of wind pressure a window or door can withstand without sustaining permanent damage and varies by hardware set. Please consult configuration worksheets and approval documents for details.

**Consult approval drawings for D.O. size details. 

† High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) is a series of laboratory tests that building materials must pass to be used in that zone. HVHZ is required for Miami-Dade and Broward Counties only. The tests ensure that the materials can withstand extreme wind and pressure.

TDI Approvals

As of May 2023, TDI accepts third-party evaluation reports. They are linked on the TDI website for information only, as a public service. TDI will not edit, modify, or revise any of the linked reports. TDI will not develop new or renew evaluation reports, and any existing report listings will be removed from the website at the close of 2025.